Bank

For you all know that, while my father was engaged in the banking business, Phormio sat at the counter and was his manager;

Phormio is to pay to the sons of Pasio as rental for the bank two talents and forty minae each year above the daily expenditure, and it shall not be lawful for Phormio to carry on a banking business independently unless he first obtains the consent of the sons of Pasio.

But I on my part have already mentioned to you and explained in detail the manner in which Phormio concocted the lease, in order to get into his possession the banking-stock, and I should be unable to speak of these other matters and at the same time convict these men of giving false testimony;

When, therefore, my client leased the business of the bank and took over the deposits, realizing that, if he had not yet obtained the right of citizenship with you, he would be unable to recover the monies which Pasio had lent on the security of land and lodging-houses, he chose to have Pasio himself as debtor for these sums, rather than the others to whom he had lent them.

For that is a property which involves no risk, while the bank is a business yielding a hazardous revenue from money which belongs to others.

For other bankers, who had no rent to pay, but carried on their business on their own account, have all come to ruin;